SOUTH BEND — The last time we saw Miles Boykin, he was making Notre Dame’s top offensive play of the year. It was arguably one of the best in the 2017 college football season, too, when he beat his man to haul in a one-handed, 55-yard touchdown to give Notre Dame a 21-17 win over LSU in the Citrus Bowl.

Irish coach Brian Kelly was asked Tuesday which of his receivers inspires confidence this early.

“Miles Boykin,” Kelly said without hesitation. “I think he’s playing with a lot of confidence as a guy that, obviously now with (Equanimeous St. Brown) moving on, has an opportunity to really shine.”

This time last year and, really, all through 2017, Kelly said similar things about St. Brown, who decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft. St. Brown led Notre Dame’s receiving corps last season, with 33 catches for 515 yards and four touchdowns.

Chase Claypool, who missed the bowl game with a shoulder injury, finished the year with 400 yards and two touchdowns. Kevin Stepherson, who was dismissed from the program in January after a series of troubles, had 19 catches for 359 yards with five touchdowns in eight games.

Boykin, who will be a senior, only had nine catches for 151 yards and one score before his statement performance in the Citrus Bowl. Now, he’s the guy all the other receivers will be chasing. He already has chemistry with quarterbacks Brandon Wimbush and Ian Book — who are competing for the starting job — which puts Boykin in a strong position.

“I think that’s a guy now that ascends,” Kelly said.

Claypool, Chris Finke (his diving catch in Citrus Bowl to set up Boykin's game-winning touchdown), Michael Young (third-quarter touchdown) and Javon McKinley, who redshirted last season, are competing behind Boykin. Plus, Notre Dame has three wide receiver recruits, including Micah Jones, who is already on campus.

Transitioning from Elko to Lea

Kelly kept continuity within his defense when coordinator Mike Elko bolted for Texas A&M this offseason by promoting linebackers coach — and Elko protégé — Clark Lea to the position. So far, so good for the 36-year-old first-time coordinator. Kelly is happy with his seamless transition, and the players are, too.

Lea will keep the 4-2-5 base defense with a rover position that Elko introduced. Players thrived in the scheme and Notre Dame quickly turned around its defense last year.

Lea and Elko worked together at Bowling Green and Wake Forest before Notre Dame — but they approach coaching differently.

“I think the best way I’d describe him is somebody who’s building a culture of accountability,” Kelly said. “For example, last year we would do up-downs after practice if we had some mistakes. We don’t do that anymore. There’s a sense of peer accountability that Clark likes to build within the unit that helps build pride in how they do their job. They’re gonna teach the same system, but how they get to that end is a little bit different based upon their philosophies.”

Cornerback Julian Love has also observed differences in how the coaches deliver similar messages.

“They’re definitely different people,” Love said. “Coach Elko was a great guy. He had a different form of communicating to players and we all adapted to it and loved it. Coach Lea is more subtle in his approach to the game. I think he’s very deliberate in what he says and guys really take to that. Guys listen.

“His thing is, he’s not going to just stand on the sideline. He’ll run over to you and be personal with you and deliberate with his messages. I think that’s something everybody appreciates because everybody is different and he really can adapt to other people’s styles.”

Notre Dame finished 10-3 in 2017 after winning four games in 2016, and Lea was instrumental in shaking up the defense. He also helped land 2018 linebacker signees Jack Lamb, Shayne Simon, Matthew Bauer and Ovie Oghoufo.

Life without Mike, Q and Harry

For the first time in a long time, Notre Dame’s offensive line won’t have Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson. Both are projected first-round NFL draft picks.

Additionally, former position coach Harry Hiestand, who had been with the program for six seasons, left for a similar job with the Chicago Bears.

But the Irish, who won the Joe Moore Award for the nation’s top offensive line, last season, doesn’t expect any drop off. Fifth-year seniors Alex Bars and Sam Mustipher, who was recently named captain, will lead the group.

“It (felt) different after the bowl game,” Bars said. “I figured, they’re gone. This group needs someone to lead them, so it fell on Sam and I. When we got back, we were a lot more vocal leading the guys right away. We just made that decision.

“We called and texted each other and just got excited for (this year). This is our team.”

Bars said he’s always had some vocal leadership skills hiding inside him, but with McGlinchey and Nelson on the team, he didn’t have a chance to demonstrate his style. Now he does.

“I feel like I’m a totally different player, different leader,” Bars said. “Mike and Q were such great players, so in a way, we took a backseat to them. But this is our team now”

Bars said it’s also been “weird” without Hiestand, but the group likes new coach Jeff Quinn, who has been with the program since 2015. Notre Dame will use the same techniques and calls from Hiestand, but that’s about as comparable as it gets. Their personalities are different. Bars laughed when asked about it.

“Quinn is inspirational and motivational,” Bars said, smiling. “Harry, well you guys know.”